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First check whether the audio is out of sync by a fixed amount or whether the gap grows over time. Then compare a local OBS recording with the YouTube stream or archive: if both drift, trace the problem through the media source, audio routing, capture device, or clock; if only YouTube drifts, check encoder health and the outbound connection. An OBS sync offset can help with a measured, stable mismatch, but it is not an established fix for progressive drift.
Identify what kind of sync problem you have
Watch or listen at two points in the same loop, ideally near the beginning and later on. Note whether the mismatch stays about the same or becomes larger. A constant offset and progressive drift point to different causes, so avoid applying a delay before you know which one you have.
- Constant offset: audio is consistently early or late by roughly the same amount.
- Progressive drift: audio and video start closer together, then move farther apart as playback continues.
Make a representative local recording in OBS and compare the same moments with the YouTube output. OBS recommends listening back to a normal recording, and YouTube advises checking the local archive when the stream output looks or sounds wrong. This comparison helps locate the problem before you change settings. OBS recording guidance; YouTube live-stream troubleshooting.
Use the local recording to choose a diagnostic branch
The local recording also drifts
The mismatch is already present before YouTube playback. Inspect the OBS source and audio path: confirm the file, playback speed, audio track, loop behavior, and which source supplies sound. If audio comes from a capture device, test its timestamp handling as described below.
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The local recording is in sync, but YouTube drifts
Focus on encoder and delivery health. Check OBS for dropped frames or high CPU load, examine YouTube Live Control Room warnings, and compare the encoder preview or output with the local archive. If the encoder output looks healthy, investigate the outbound connection; if it does not, trace the audio and video sources routed into the encoder. YouTube’s troubleshooting guidance recommends checking the encoder, Live Control Room errors, CPU load, and local archive. YouTube live-stream troubleshooting.
Check the loop source and its audio routing
Verify the media source
In OBS, select the media source that plays the loop and verify that it points to the intended file, uses the expected playback speed and audio track, and has the intended loop behavior. OBS Media Source includes a Loop property and an option to restart playback when the source becomes active. If you use VLC Video instead, check its playlist looping and network-caching settings. Test one change at a time with a short recording so you can tell whether it affected sync. OBS media sources guidance.
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Find where the audio enters OBS
Identify the source supplying the loop’s sound and check whether the same input or output device is also captured globally in Settings → Audio and again as a source in a scene. OBS warns that capturing a device in both places can cause echo. Listen to the source before it reaches OBS, then monitor it in OBS; the first point where the mismatch appears narrows the search to the source, routing, or later processing. OBS audio sources guidance; OBS audio monitoring guidance.
Test device timestamps only when audio comes from a capture device
OBS’s Audio Input/Output Capture documents a Windows-only Use Device Timestamps option that attempts to prevent desynchronization. If applicable, test it as a single controlled change and record again. It is not a guaranteed solution: the result depends on the operating system, source, and device. OBS audio sources guidance.
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Check encoder and YouTube ingest settings
Use YouTube’s encoder guidance as a reliable-ingest baseline, not as proof that any one setting caused gradual drift. The current guidance specifies RTMP or RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), a keyframe every 2 seconds recommended and no more than 4 seconds apart, and AAC or MP3 audio. It specifies 44.1 kHz for stereo or 48 kHz for 5.1 surround. Check YouTube’s current Live Control Room errors for unsupported format, audio-stream count, sample-rate, or frame-rate issues. YouTube encoder settings and live-stream guidance.
Also use the latest version of your encoder and inspect its stream output and CPU load. If warnings identify a format or ingest mismatch, correct that first and record another test. These baseline settings support reliable ingest, but they do not by themselves establish why a loop’s audio progressively drifts.
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When an OBS sync offset is appropriate
Use a sync adjustment only when you have measured a stable offset in a local recording or recorded stream. Change one relevant delay control, record again, and verify whether the same point in the program is now aligned. A fixed delay can shift audio relative to video; the available official guidance does not establish that it corrects a mismatch that continues to grow. Do not choose an arbitrary offset as a substitute for diagnosing progressive drift.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not confuse stream latency with audio drift
YouTube stream latency is the delay between capture and playback. Audio drifting out of sync is a changing mismatch between audio and video within the program. A stream can have latency without its audio progressively moving relative to its picture. YouTube live-stream latency guidance.
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Common symptoms and next checks
| What you observe | What to check next |
|---|---|
| The same audio/video offset is present throughout. | Measure it in the recording, then test one relevant sync adjustment and validate with another recording. |
| The mismatch grows over time in the local recording. | Check the media file and playback settings, the source’s audio track, duplicate or misrouted audio, and capture-device behavior if applicable. |
| The local recording is fine, but YouTube’s output drifts. | Inspect encoder health, CPU load, Live Control Room errors, and outbound connection quality. |
| You hear echo or doubled audio. | Check whether the same device is captured in both Settings → Audio and a scene source. |
| Live Control Room reports an ingest or format warning. | Match the current YouTube guidance for protocol, bitrate mode, keyframes, audio format, sample rate, and frame rate; then test again. |
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